Lakers: 3 Takeaways From the Preseason Opener vs Kings

Following a 103-84 win over the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers can take a handful of things away from their preseason opener.

The first game of the Luke Walton era tipped off Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings and the Lakers left the Honda Center in Anaheim with a win after a late push in the fourth quarter.

In their 103-84 win over Sacramento, the Lakers played solid defense post halftime after struggling to get shots to fall in the first half.

Their defense was so strong that the Kings only scored 32 points the entire second half, while the Lakers score 39 points in the fourth quarter alone. That combined with the fact that Kings head coach David Joeger, also making his debut with his new team, didn’t play any of his starters in the second half.

Regardless, the Lakers effort on defense in the second half was promising, especially for a team that finished dead last in defensive efficiency last year, per Basketball Reference. While there were a number of new faces on the Lakers roster making their debut last night, it was the familiar faces that made the biggest impact on the game.

Here are three quick takeaways from Tuesdays preseason opener.